Don’t feed her any part of the Thanksgiving meal, which can be rich and spicy and have ingredients that can make her sick. Turkey skin or gravy can inflame an animal’s pancreas, Mendheim says, and turkey bones may splinter and cut internal organs.

Make sure your pet doesn’t raid the garbage can.

Alcohol and chocolate can be toxic for pets. During the Christmas season, keep that warning in mind if you serve eggnog, which can cause intestinal distress.

Make sure your pets have their rabies shots and are wearing license tags. When company comes, they can easily vanish in all of the excitement.